Using Reinforcement To Promote Good Behavior In The Classroom

Discipline remains one of the single most common problems educators face in their day-to-day teaching. Future teaches must adopt a classroom discipline philosophy that will aid them in creating a positive learning environment. The key is to find a discipline philosophy that compliments your education philosophy. One of the most widely recognized and commonly used classroom discipline models is B.F. Skinner's Behavior Modification.

The Behavior Modification approach is derived from the work of psychologist Ivan Pavlov. Dr. Pavlov's most famous experiment resulted in getting dogs to salivate by ringing a bell. In this experiment, a bell was rung prior to the dogs receiving meat powder. After a few days, Pavlov rang the bell without giving the dogs the meat substance, yet the dogs still salivated. The experiment revealed that the bell had become associated with the food; thus, the findings concluded any action could be linked to controlled stimuli.

Skinner believed Pavlov's experiment showed that all human behavior could be explained as responses to environmental stimuli. In relation to children and their behavior, Skinner believed children are not goal directed but rather controlled by their environment. Therefore, in order for children to behave properly, they must be controlled by their environment. The Behavior Modification philosophy contends this can be achieved through stimuli known as reinforcements.

There are two kinds of reinforcements, negative and positive. A negative reinforcement is generally confused with the act of punishment. In actuality, it involves a student's need to avoid an unpleasant consequence. The result of a negative reinforcement is to increase the frequency of a particular behavior, not reduce it, which is the primary objective of punishment.

For example, students are given 100 points to apply to their citizenship grade. Points are deducted for each previously defined inappropriate behavior. If students increase good citizenship to avoid losing points, they are said to have been negatively reinforced. In contrast, a positive reinforcement occurs when stimuli are present. Using the same citizenship scenario, if children are awarded more points for exemplary behavior, they have been positively reinforced.

Both negative and positive reinforcement act as a means to increase the response with which they are associated. The significant objective of the Behavior Modification approach is not to inflict punishment, but rather induce stimuli that change behavior for the purpose of being rewarded and feeling a pleasant experience.

Reinforcement can be distributed in a variety of ways. Conditioned types include verbal, like acknowledging a students performance or rewarding them with special privileges such as being an assistant during an instruction lesson. Edible types include candy and other goodies, which are fairly effective with preschool and early elementary students, while material types such as toys, games, and personal items are also helpful motivators for behavior change.

You must compare and contrast your education philosophy in order to determine if the Behavior Modification classroom discipline approach compliments your teaching style. Your decision will also be contingent upon your school environment and student body makeup. Perhaps exploring online colleges psychology courses can help one understand the logistics behind different types of behavior. Do your research, weighing strengths and weaknesses of all discipline philosophies before making a final decision. Some research may even lead you to earning an online degree in psychology.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natasha_Bright